


Mood Indicators

by Es_Aitch



Series: Twelfth Doctor One Shots Series 10 [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 01:23:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10753830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Es_Aitch/pseuds/Es_Aitch
Summary: Negotiations took a little longer than what was presented at the end of “Smile.”  Here’s my take on it.





	Mood Indicators

The Doctor had just finished discussing rent with the Vardy. He looked at the two groups slowly starting to interact. He looked back down at the interface. “Now, two civilizations working together takes more than just a rental agreement to be successful.”

He gestured to Steadfast to put his gun down and come over and join the conversation. Steadfast reluctantly did as the Doctor suggested. “You see, it’s like this: you will work together. Both species, to make a city that would be better than either of you could ever have alone.” He first gestured to the interface. “ _You_ will provide this amazing and wonderful city for the humans to live in.” And then he looked at Steadfast. “And in return, _you_ will help maintain their systems, fix them when they need repair.”

Steadfast shook his head. “No. If they’re going to be in charge of everything they can take care of themselves.”

The Doctor sighed heavily and pulled Steadfast away from the interface so he could speak more privately. “Look, I’m trying to help both of you here. If you plan to stay in the city, I suggest you try to be a little more cooperative. You had no problem living with them when you thought you could control them. The only difference now is that they’re free. Rather than doing things because you tell them to, they are going to do things because it is what is best for everyone in the city. They have freedom.”

Steadfast still wasn’t pleased. “But how can that possibly work? If they turn against us again, they could kill all of us in a matter of moments!”

The Doctor drew a hand down his face. “You’re looking at things backwards. Think about it more like symbioses. You need this wonderful city to live in and they need help to keep up their maintenance. You each have something the other needs. And by helping each other you can do what is best for the entire city.”

The Doctor knew he had gotten through to the other man when he saw him relax. Good, that would make things easier.

He looked around again. And he couldn’t help but smile. He had almost ruined everything, but now, things at least had a chance to end up all right. He watched as Bill walked around the humans and encouraged them to finally lower their weapons. He couldn’t help but smile at that. She was as brilliant as he had hoped. And he would teach her everything.

Seeing her smiling emoji on her back reminded him of what had caused all the problems to begin with. He returned to the interface. “One more thing. The humans and any other visitors to your city won’t be needing these any more.” He gestured to the patch on his back.

The emoji on the interface returned to having question marks for eyes. The Doctor smiled. “Neither of you are responsible for the emotions of the other. Sometimes you’ll feel angry. Sometimes you will feel sad. And the same is true for the humans. But emotions – all of them – are important. Vital even. Without all the different emotions any of you can experience, you will never fully understand the world around you. All the different moods you experience are a gift. They help you to understand yourself and the world around you better than you ever could without them. But, you don’t need patches. You and the humans will need to learn to communicate your feelings with each other. You communicate with emojis. The humans communicate with physical responses: smiling, frowning, tears, and hugs.”

The interface went blank for a moment, then it returned with just eyes as it looked around and saw how people were now helping each other. It looked back at the Doctor and it’s eyes became the ‘peace symbol’ with a smile under them.

The Doctor nodded. “Yes. I hope peace can last a long time.”

The interface cocked its head as it looked up at the Doctor. Then it slowly raised its hand. The Doctor smiled down at it and shook the proffered hand. “Glad to have been able to help.”

Just then, Bill came over. “Oh, look at that. It’s learning some human gestures.”

The Doctor nodded as he released the hand. “Hopefully they will all continue to teach each other. And learn from each other.”

Bill’s grin grew broader. “Maybe that’s why they say this one cracked the secret to happiness.”

The Doctor smirked. “Maybe. Turn around.”

Bill frowned. “Why?”

“I just want to see if….”

Just then, there was the sound of something clattering to the floor. Bill bent over to pick up her badge and the Doctor picked his up. Similar to when they had first got them, they both looked at the different sides.

The Doctor looked at Bill. “Let me see?”

Bill held hers up and the Doctor grinned. “Blank. And mine?”

He held his up for her to see.  Bill nodded. “Same.”

“Right. Then it’s time we head off…”

He pocketed his badge and Bill did the same. Then he left the room and started to head towards the exit. Bill was following a few paces behind. “But why are we leaving now? Why not stay a little longer?”

“Because we’ve done all we can. The rest is up to them.”

“Okay, what’s with the blank badges then?”

The Doctor grinned, turned around to face her, but kept walking backwards through the field as he spoke. “Simple. In the same way that the humans gave the Vardy freedom as a species, the Vardy gave humans the freedom to have their emotions.”

“Wait, you’re talking like the humans were slaves to the Vardy as well.”

“Weren’t they? If they had the wrong emotion, the Vardy killed them. Having to suppress your emotion is a kind of slavery.”

“I… never thought about it like that. So, if they’re both free, then they might actually be able to make it work.”

The Doctor smirked and turned back to walk properly as he answered. “That’s my hope. You know, Bill, you’re a great student.”

Bill knew the Doctor didn’t give compliments lightly, nor often, which made this one all the more precious to her.


End file.
